text: Postprandial somnolence (colloquially known as food coma, after-dinner dip, or "the itis") is a normal state of drowsiness or lassitude following a meal. Postprandial somnolence has two components: a general state of low energy related to activation of the parasympathetic nervous system in response to mass in the gastrointestinal tract, and a specific state of sleepiness. While there are numerous theories surrounding this behavior, such as decreased blood flow to the brain, neurohormonal modulation of sleep through digestive coupled signaling, or vagal stimulation, very few have been explicitly tested. To date, human studies have loosely examined the behavioral characteristics of postprandial sleep, demonstrating potential shifts in EEG spectra and self-reported sleepiness. To date, the only clear animal models for examining the genetic and neuronal basis for this behavior are the fruit fly, the mouse, and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.